Nice is not an Option
by Lady Thackeray
Summary: Massie: Finally has accepted Claire totally and completely and is at peace with herself. Has no conflicts with the rest of the group.Claire: Not sure she wants to be a part of something that could turn on her at any minute. No longer trusts anyone.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own the rights to any of the Clique novels, nor am I in any way affiliated with Lisi Harrison or Little Brown publications.

Block Estate

The Guesthouse

12:37 PM

Claire smoothed back her just blown out hair, and realized for the umpteenth time that it simply wasn't straight enough. To impress Massie's- her (she corrected herself) friends, she'd have to look stunning. No, better than stunning. Massie would expect as much, especially from the new Alpha.

Claire plugged in her new straightener (a gift from Massie, "Trust me, unless you're planning to go to Jakkob daily, you will take this.") and waited for it to heat up. She thought about all the excuses she had used to explain away to prolonged use of this implement. The first time she'd used it, she rationalized with: It's just one time, how badly can just one time be? This continued for about a week, and then Claire thought to herself why, if her mother was right in claiming that using it every day would burn her hair to a crisp, was her hair still shiny and healthy looking? And, more importantly, straight. With her new side swept bangs, anything looking out of place, on her head or otherwise, was unacceptable.

The red light on the straightener blinked, signifying that it was hot enough to use. Claire ran it through her glossy hair, straightening out every kink and curve to be found. Finished, she ran her fingers through her tresses, satisfied with the result. A smile and a wink to her bathroom mirror gave her confidence, and she was ready to go.

She grabbed her vintage Juicy bowler bag, crammed with lip gloss, mascara, combs, brushes, and the verboten cell phone, doomed to wander the earth on vibrate. And, of course, the $700 she was able to save up for this all important shopping spree.

It was August, and that meant back to school shopping. Back in Florida, that meant a new backpack (if the old one was too small for the new workload), pencils, pens, and paper. A few binders, basic school supplies. A new pair of sneakers, for gym, and maybe a new shirt or two. But Claire was in Westchester now. And back to school meant new haircuts, new bags (never a backpack, only messenger bags now), new shoes, and new clothes.

And new clothes! Never before had Claire witnessed the sheer volume of clothes intended just for school! Now that their school, Octavian Country Day, had switched to uniforms for the new year, that meant striped or solid color collared shirts, button downs, turtlenecks, oxfords, and blouses. Solid color khaki or corduroy pants (as if any one at that school would wear _pants_). And then the horror of all horrors, the kilt. Unobtrusive as it was (a grey kilt that could be shortened at most to four inches above the knee), it symbolized all things despised at OCD.

But even with this now limited wardrobe, the clothing options were endless. Now you had Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, Abercrombie, and Tommy Hilfiger for polo shirts. You had Diane von Furstenberg for pants. And the kilt, well, no one knew where to find _that._

Even with the uniform, Claire knew that her school clothes suppliers would be the same as last year, Target, Gap, and if she was really lucky, Abercrombie. She wished that for one year, or even one semester, the school would ban designer clothing.

The intercom buzzed. Claire rushed to answer it. "Yes," she barked, forgetting completely Massie's rules on How to Charm People.

"Honey, Layne's calling my phone for whatever reason, can you come down here and get it?" Claire's mom asked. Claire shuddered.

Layne Abeley, Claire's first and only true friend at OCD, marched to the beat of her own drum. And her drum was very syncopated. Claire loved Layne to death, but she was not Westchester enough for eighth grade. From now on their hanging out had to be reduced to weekends when Claire wasn't out with the Pretty Committee. And Claire would rather go to school in her brother's old school clothes than allow Layne on the shopping trip.

"Tell her I'll call her back. I'm just about to go out with Massie."

"Fine. Have fun." Her mom turned off the intercom.

Claire bounded down the stairs, excited for the shopping trip, even if she couldn't get a lot. Just being around Massie, Alicia, Dylan, and Kristen made her feel important, like she was actually popular. And also, she might get a free pair of shoes in the offing, courtesy of Massie and her generosity.


End file.
